Description
Pillowy donut holes filled with creamy strawberry cheesecake and rolled in sparkly sugar. Easy to make with biscuit dough or from-scratch dough—perfect for brunch, parties, or a fun dessert bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup finely diced strawberries (patted very dry) or 2–3 tbsp strawberry jam
Donut Holes (shortcut method):
- 2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough (8-count each) or 1 lb pizza dough
- Neutral oil for frying (canola/vegetable)
Sugar Coating:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Optional: ½ tsp cinnamon or freeze-dried strawberry powder
Optional Glaze (instead of sugar):
1 cup powdered sugar + 1–2 tbsp milk + ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Make the filling:
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in diced strawberries (well dried) or jam. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Chill for 20 minutes to firm. - Prep dough:
Cut each biscuit into quarters (pizza dough into 1–1½ inch pieces). Roll into smooth balls, pinching seams so they seal. - Heat oil:
In a deep pot, heat 2–3 inches of oil to 350°F (175°C). Maintain temperature between 340–360°F. - Fry:
Fry donut balls in batches for 2–3 minutes, turning, until deep golden and cooked through. Use a spider to transfer to a rack set over paper towels. - Coat:
While warm, roll in sugar mixture or dip cooled donuts in glaze and let set on a rack. - Fill:
Use a skewer to make a small tunnel in each donut hole. Pipe cheesecake filling until just plump (don’t overfill). - Serve:
Best eaten the day made. Dust with extra sugar or strawberry powder before serving.
Notes
- Dry berries well to keep the filling thick (excess moisture thins it).
- Bake option: Brush dough balls with melted butter and bake at 375°F/190°C for 10–12 min, then coat and fill. Texture is more “bun-like” but still delicious.
- Make-ahead: Fill up to 3 hours before serving; refrigerate if longer. Re-crisp briefly in a 325°F oven (5–6 min) before filling.
- Prep Time: PT20M
- Cook Time: PT15M
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Deep-Fry + Filled
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 140kcal
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 170mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 10mg